Computer Networks

Andrew S. Tanenbaum

Tanenbaum's Computer Networks is a good, solid introductory
textbook on networking suitable for those with a computing background,
either university students or computer professionals. I learnt my
basic networking from it five years ago and have been using it as a
reference ever since. It uses a layer-based approach, starting at
the bottom and working upwards. A very a wide range of material is
covered; there is even an appendix on queueing theory.

Something about Computer Networks that really annoys me now
(but didn't when I first read it) is its OSI bias. The use of OSI
terminology and the OSI reference model is not a problem; what's not
so fine is the attitude to alternatives. So we have such gems as

"Virtually the entire computer industry has now agreed to a
series of International Standards for describing network
architectures. These standards are known as the OSI Reference
Model. In the near future, almost all other network
architectures will disappear."

and the discussion of standardization doesn't even mention RFCs
or the IETF protocol process! Such a view of the world must have
seemed rather problematic in 1989, and now seems almost ludicrous
(at least in Australia; perhaps things are different in Europe).
Computer Networks is still one of the best general texts on
networking I know of, however, and it deserves to survive to a third
edition, in which Tanenbaum will hopefully bring it more into line
with reality in this regard.

[ Note: The third and now fourth editions of Computer Networks
have addressed most of my criticisms in this review.]